Shield attachment for eating tables and the like



June 16, 1931. A. w. NELSON 1,810,618

SHIELD ATTACHMENT FOR EATING TABLES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24. 1929 June '16, 1931. w, NELSON 1,810,618

SHIELD ATTACHMENT FOR EATING TABLES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 24, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 16, 1931 oat-T ss stares PATENT OFF-ICE:

SJ ODIN, O13 SPOKANE, WASHINGTON SHIELD ATTACHMENT FOR EATING- TABLES AND' LIKE Application filed August 24, 1929. Serial No. 388,166

This invention relates to a shield attachment for use on lunch counters, dining tables and the like whereby a person seated at the counter or table will be provided with an individual compartment for holding food being eaten andwill be shielded, while eating, from other persons seated at the counter or table.

Another object is to provide .an attachment of this character which, when not in use, can be collapsed and stored in a small space.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of shield attachment for use on a table or a counter where all of the customers arelocated at one side only of the structure.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a table provided with a modified form of shield attachment for use where customers are seated around the table.

Figure iis a section on line 4-4, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the shield attachment and a portion of the table on which it is mounted.

Figure 6 is a section through a portion of the top of a table or counter showing, in elevation, a portion of the shieldseated therein.

Referring to the fi ures by characters of reference, 1 designates a portion of a lunch counter of any preferred construction.- The shield constituting that type of the invention adapted to be used on a counter, consists of regularly spaced upstanding channels 2- formed of metaLveneer, or any other suitable material. Each of these-panels is provided preferably with short legs 3.which,as shown particularly in Figure 2, are adapted .to extend into recesses & in the top of the counter. The intermediate portions of the panels, can be spaced from the top of the counter so that condiment holders,.etc., can be slid readily under the panels; U

Supported on and serving to properly spacethe panels isgan elongated shelf 5 the front and back edges of which can be upturnedate to constitute retaining means. This shelf may be provided with depending ears 7 forengagingthe panels so as to hold them against lateral displacement. V w

Extending from the endsof the shelf 5 are braCesS adapted toeXtend downwardly and befastened to the counter or, if preferred, the; lower end of these braces, can merely rest on thecounter." I I r Y As the legsjof the partitions or panels ex; tend into recesses in the counter it will be obviousthat thesepanels will be held in upstanding positionsand cannot shift. laterally or longitudinally along the counter. .As, the shelf bears downwardly on and engages the upper edges 'of the panels, said edges are held properly spaced apart. .As the braces are ex tended fromthe shelf and are rigidtherewith, they will act tohold the structure against lateral collapsing.

Whenthe shield. is set up, thereby forming a number i of compartments extending throughout the length ofthe-counter, one of these compartments will be provided for every customer} The food, when served to a customer, is placed'in the compartment provided forhim and, because of the height and length of the compartment used, it becomes possible forthe customer to eat without annoying or being annoyed by'persons seated nearby.

Should it be desired to use the counter without the shield it would be necessary merelyto lift the shelf and the end braces from the counter and thereafter lift the panels oil of the counter. The structure could then be stored in a small space.

In Figures 3 to 5 inclusive a modified form of shield for use on a table has been illustrated. This shield is made up of a main panel 9 having legs 10 adapted to rest on the table top 12. These legs have lugs 13 insertable into recesses 14 in the table top as shown particularly in Figure 6. ,At opposite sides of the main panel 1 are supplemental panels 15 hingedly connected to the main panel as at 16. Each of these supplemental panels also has a leg 17 corresponding with the legs 10 and adapted to engage the table top 12 as heretofore explained. When this modified form of shield is set up on a table the panels are extended at right angles to each other, thus providing four separate compartments each of which is adapted tobe used by one patron. The bottom portions of the panels are cut away to provide sufficient clearance as at 18 to allow small articles to be passed from one compartment to another along the table top.

When the device is'not in use the panels 15 can be folded against the panel 9 as indicated by brokenline's in Figure 3 and the. entire structure lifted from the table and away.

What is claimed is: t 1.- The combination with a counter, table or the like, of means mounted thereon for pro viding' separate spaces for use by individual persons while eating, said means including partitions proportioned to shield from each other the faces of customers while eating, the lower portions of the partitions being cut away to'provide spaces for thereception of articles while being transferred laterally from one compartment to another, there being recesses in the counter, table or the like and legs depending from the partitions and removably fitted in the recesses.

2. A combination with a counter, table or the like for use by persons while eating, of spaced partitions'removably mounted on the counter to provide face receiving spaces for the respective persons, there being recesses in the top of the counter, table or the like, legs depending from the partitions and removably fitted in the recesses, said legs supporting the partitions above the top of the counter, table or the like to provide spaces through which articles can be moved along the surface of the counter, tableor the like, a shelf resting on and detachably engaging the partitions to hold them spaced apart, and means at the ends of the shelf for bearing on the top of the counter, table or the like to brace the shelf and partitions when set up for use. 7 3. A combination with a counter or the like foruse' by persons while eating, of hingedly connected partitions normally diverging and adapted to fold together, legs depending from stored AUGUST W. NELSON. 

